Times of Change and Adaptation
by Lilac Bloom 11
Summary: Ten years after the Great Tree's rebirth, peace has finally arrived to the Reunited World. Unfortunately, a group who opposes the new goverment and the acceptance of halfelves has been hiding in the shadows, getting ready for its final attack...
1. Prologue

**TIMES OF CHANGE AND ADAPTATION**

**Prologue.**

_"I got it! This tree's name will be..."_

... the tree was named Yggdrasil. When we asked him the reason behind his choice, Lloyd said that it was a way to include Mithos' legacy in the new world that he wanted to create thousands of years ago, before his sister's murder made him forget his original goal.

And that's how the new world was born. You may think that this story ended with Yggdrasil's birth, but that's not the case. The worlds were reunited once again, but there were still many things to do before reaching the peace that we all wished for: A few months after our final battle, Lloyd and Colette went on a journey to collect all the expheres that were still harming the people of Aselia- the name of our new world. Regal and Presea joined forces to rebuild all the towns that were destroyed because of Cruxis, as well as avoiding that someone could get into the Exphere mine in Toize Valley ever again. Once he finally got rid of his title as the Chosen, Zelos became one of the King's most trusted counselors and went around the world to assure that the political process of fusing Sylvarant and Tethe'alla was as peaceful as possible with the help of Sheena, emissary of Peace and Mizuho's new chief.

As for us... well, we took the mission of traveling around, trying to stop once and for all the discrimination between Humans, Elves and Half-Elves. It hasn't been easy or fast, because we have faced a lot of trouble and hate from people who still refuse to change their way of thinking. But at least we still believe that there's something that can be done, no matter how hard things get. That is the lesson that I, his teacher, learned from Lloyd during our journey: I've never given up.

Time and the new laws promoted by both the King and Neill have been on our side though, because at last, after ten long years, our mission is about to be completed (or at least, we are finally going to take a break to continue with our lives). The last chapter of our story will end after Exire returns back to land, so the half-elves that live here can once again join with the people of Aselia and enjoy these peaceful times. That's why I've been here these last few days: I've been meeting with both the Major and the people of Exire, explaining them about the changes in the world below them and the prosper times that they will live once they become part of Aselia again.

Of course, I've also told them that there are still people who don't accept half-elves, but fortunately they are the minority. The people of Exire will have to work hard to accept the ones that once forced them to leave the land and live in the sky, but I hope that it won't take too long. At least the people from Aselia are ready to accept them, and that's why Genis went to Meltokio: He's going to meet the King to decide the best spot to place Exire once it goes down to land, among other important topics.

You'd be so proud of him. Although my memories of him are scarce, I think that Genis resembles Father more with each passing day. Sometimes I feel guilty, thinking that my brother has lost part of his youth because of our journey. He should have gone to a good school and became a Scholar as he wished when he was younger. Of course, this topic is almost taboo between us. Genis gets mad when I bring it up, saying that he hasn't lost anything and that he is proud to be part of this mission. I give up in the end because he is right: I'm also proud of this.

We are part of the New World's regeneration team. We are here to make sure that discrimination ends once and for all. We want the people of our species to live long and peaceful lives, free from hate and resentment.

We want them to live in the world that you wished us to live in, Mother. The world that you tried to send us to 21 years ago. After Exire's return to land, you'll be part of it.

_So please... would you leave your world of dreams and join us there? _

* * *

A/N: This is my first ToS fic. This "chapter" was very short because it was just the prologue, although I plan the next chapters to be a lot longer. I hope you liked it. Any feedback is welcome, specially because I'm not an English native-speaker, but that doesn't mean I won't try to write as clear as possible.

Thank you for reading!


	2. The Swordsman and the Squire

**CHAPTER 1: THE SWORDSMAN AND THE SQUIRE. **

He sighed happily when the city's gates appeared in front of him. At long last, he would spend a night sleeping over a soft and warm bed after traveling the last two days alone across the lone roads that surrounded the Capital City of Meltokio. Although after the defeat of Cruxis the majority of the monsters that used to roam the worlds were gone, there still were wild animals and bugs that occasionally attacked travelers in their search for food. Fortunately, they were nothing that couldn't be scared away with a few fireballs, even if the young mage had stopped using his exphere many years ago.

Nonetheless, he was exhausted. Raine had asked him to use their Rheaird to get to Meltokio but he had refused: The only way to leave Exire was using a flying vehicle, and he didn't want to leave his sister without a way to escape in case an emergency occurred. Besides, Exire was flying near Meltokio when they had arrived to the floating city, so it wouldn't take him long to get to the Capital, even if he wasn't as athletic as other half-elves of his age. Once there, he would ask the King to lend him a Rheaird for the journey back to Exire.

Meltokio had changed a lot since his last visit: Many new and big buildings appeared before him, their glass walls shining with the sunlight. The roads were wider, allowing different kinds of vehicles to transit inside the city. Countless trees and colorful bushes were planted everywhere, injecting life to the already lively Metropolis. In general, an aura of prosperity surrounded Meltokio, product of the recent years of peace and abundance since the Great Tree's birth. Raine would undoubtedly go crazy trying to study all the advances of Magitechnology that were evident in every corner of the Capital.

It wasn't long before he reached the Castle: Just as he imagined, two soldiers were already guarding the entrance to the building. He slowly approached them while he shook the dust off his shirt and pants. One of the soldiers noticed the stranger, gripping his lance and marching threatenly towards him.

- "Halt there, stranger! What do you want?"

- "Good Afternoon"- replied the traveler- "I am here to request an audience with His Majesty"

The soldier suspiciously eyed the newcomer up and down: A young man, probably not older than 25, average build, short height, wearing a dirty light-blue shirt and an even dirtier pair of dark-blue pants. If it weren't for the guy's strange colored hair and the peculiar wooden toy that hung from his waist, the soldier would have thought that the visitor was an inhabitant from the Slums.

- "And who are you to ask such a thing?"

- "My name is Genis Sage. I am here representing the City of Exire and I need to talk to His Majesty about the future of that City. Please, let me in"

- "A Half-elf..."- muttered the soldier absently. - "Very well... please wait here"

The soldier entered the building, closing the door behind him. Genis stood there for a few minutes, feeling the intense gaze of the other soldier over him. The mage sighed: No matter the new laws and all the hard work Raine and himself had done to convince the people of Aselia to accept their race, the _feelings_ of discrimination wouldn't be gone for a long time. _At least- _he thought- _the first steps towards that goal have already been taken. _

The Castle's door opened abruptly, bringing Genis back from his thoughts: A middle-aged lady stood before him, her cheeks flushed and gripping her hands nervously.

- "Sir Sage! We weren't expecting you!"- Exclaimed the lady taking the young mage by the arm and dragging him inside the castle- "Please excuse the rudeness of these barbarians! It won't happen again, I assure you!"

- "D... Don't worry..."- replied the youth as he passed through the Castle's elegant halls and rooms until they stopped in front of a white door in the second floor.

- "Her Highness, Princess Hilda is waiting for you inside, Sir Sage"- said the lady as she opened the door- "Now if you excuse me, there are some matters that I need to tend"

- "Th... Thank you..."

- "Madam Maggie, Princess Hilda's personal assistant at your service"- answered the lady with a reverence before leaving Genis alone. Taking a deep breath, the young mage pushed the door and entered the room. _It's not going to be that hard... I hope!_ - He thought, remembering all those rules of Etiquette he heard Zelos and Regal mention once during their journey... and that he unfortunately had already forgotten.

* * *

_I hope I didn't look like a dork back there- _thought Genis as he left the Castle one hour later. Princess Hilda looked almost the same as the last time he had seen her, maybe a bit older. He had explained her, half muttering and half stammering, that he was representing the people of Exire and that he needed to see her father, the King, to negotiate the best spot to place the floating city when they finally bring it back to land. The Princess told him that her father was busy meeting with some emissaries from Palmacosta, but that the King would meet him the next morning. After making an idiot out of himself with a clumsy reverence, Genis left the room, already deciding to go to the Inn and rest there for the whole afternoon: Dealing with diplomats and the Monarchy would need all his energies

The sun was about to set when Genis heard someone knocking at his door.

- "Come on in"- the door was opened with a loud _BANG _and a tall man entered the room, his handsome face showing a huge grin when he found Genis on his bed.

- "I didn't believe it when they told me, but there he is! What is this _brat_ doing in Meltokio after all these years?"

Startled by the sudden entrance of the man, Genis shocked face slowly changed into a grin when he heard that nickname, recognition showing in his blue eyes.

- "Isn't it other than Zelos, the _jackass_, in person! What a pleasant surprise!"

- "Shut up, _twerp_!"

- "Make me!"

After that _friendly _exchange of greetings, Genis stood up and approached Zelos, who opened his arms.

- "Come here, bud!"- He exclaimed as he hugged the boy tightly- "It's so nice to see you again!"

- "I wish I could say the same..."- replied the mage with sarcasm as he smiled. Zelos pushed Genis apart and eyed him up and down.

- "Look at yourself! All grown up!"- He added with a mischievous grin- "Even if you still lack a bit in height..."

- "Sh... shut up!"- replied Genis blushing: His short stature and lack of physical strength were the characteristics that annoyed him the most.

- "Don't feel embarrassed: Few men can be as tall and charming as the Great Handsome Ambassador Zelos!"

- "I see that _you_ haven't changed at all"- Now in his early-thirties, Zelos still moved and acted as the charming young Chosen who used to swoon the majority of women in both Tethe'alla _and_ Sylvarant. He still wore elegant clothing (dark green instead of pink) and a sword hung from his waist. His famous red hair was shorter and tied in a low ponytail. But even as he hadn't changed physically _that much_, his prideful and cheerful attitude wasn't a mask anymore: Finally freed from his burden as the Chosen of Mana, Zelos had found a new purpose for his life as Meltokio's Ambassador, traveling around the world to assure that the peace that he had fought so much for continued for a long time. People now respected and loved him for his _actions_, not because of his title.

- "That's not quite true, my young friend. Just as the finest potions, I improve with age!"- Genis rolled his eyes- "Anyway, I'm offended, Genis. How come you are here in Meltokio and haven't even _thought _about visiting your old bud Zelos?"

- "I was planning to do that, although I wasn't sure I would find you."- replied the youth ashamed- "You weren't here during our last visit, your butler said so..."

- "But that was six years ago! What have you been doing all these years?"

- "You know... Raine and me have been traveling around Aselia, trying to convince humans and elves to accept our race. With the development of Magitechnology many new towns have flourished, and we have visited all of them"

- "I see... and now that you mention her, how is your lovely _and _gorgeous sister Raine doing?"

- "Raine is fine. She's in Exire right now..."

- "I know!"- interrupted Zelos- "To help the people of Exire getting ready for the big move down here. Meanwhile, you came to Meltokio to meet the King, so you can discuss about the best location in Aselia to place Exire, am I right?"

- "Correct"- replied Genis, arching an eyebrow- "You sure are well informed about my movements. Now that I think about it, how did you know I was here?"

- "Pretty easy, my friend! That's one of the many wonders of the ZHIN!"

- "ZHIN?"

- "_Zelos' Hunnies Intelligence Network_. I assure you, it's as effective as Mizuho's network!"

- "In other words, one of your fangirls from the Castle informed you about my visit"- said Genis dryly.- "How come that doesn't surprise me anymore?"

- "You got me!"- grinned the Ambassador putting his arm over his friend's shoulders- "Anyway! Now that you are here, we've got so many things to celebrate!"

- "Celebrate? No! Zelos, you see..."- exclaimed Genis while he was being dragged out of his room by Zelos.

- "Come on! This is Meltokio, bud! You can't say you've been here without experiencing this city's nightlife! I know a couple of hunnies that'll be _glad_ to meet you!"

- "Oh Goddess... what have I gotten myself into this time?"- whimpered the mage after looking at his bed for the last time.

_Definitely, this wasn't going to be a night to relax._

* * *

- "His Majesty will join you in a few minutes. Please wait here"

- "Thank you, Madam Maggie"- replied Zelos with an enchanting smile that made the woman blush. Genis stood next to him, pale and visibly tired, but at least cleaner than the day before. He was wearing an elegant blue suit whose sleeves and pants were a bit too long for the mage and his hair was combed back neatly: It was obvious that Zelos had instructed him earlier about the proper way to appear in front of the King.

- "Charming as ever!. Hope to see you later, Ambassador Wilder and Sir Sage"- said the Princess' assistant before leaving the throne room. Zelos put his arms over his friend's shoulders.

- "Come on, bud! If you wish to have a successful meeting with the King, you'll need to ditch that dead-look!"

- "Please Zelos..."- muttered Genis irritated- "I'm having a massive head-ache right now! I can't believe I let you convince me to try that potion..."

- "Tsk, Tsk, Tsk"- Zelos shook his head- "Someone needs some urgent lessons on having fun!"

- "Uggh!"- Genis pressed his temples while gritting his teeth- "You are lucky I'm too dizzy to reach for my kendama right now, otherwise I'd had already fried you with my Indignation spell!"

- "Geez! What a violent brat!"

- "SHUT UP!, YOU A--"

- "_His Majesty, Tethe'alla XIII!"- _announced one of the soldiers of the Royal Guard. Immediately, the King entered the room accompanied by Princess Hilda.

- "Oh Goddess..."- muttered Genis forgetting completely his dizziness.- "Here we go..."

* * *

A couple hours later, the duo left the Castle with a new mission on mind: Thanks to Zelos' amazing negotiating skills, the meeting elapsed smoothly. In the end, the King had agreed with Genis' proposal: Exire would be placed on it's original spot near Ymir Forest, according to the historic archives he had consulted with Raine several weeks before and the people from the floating city. The next step in their plan was to look for a way to bring Exire back to land, but that wasn't a problem for both Genis and Zelos (who had agreed in accompanying the young mage as the King's representative and observer). They already knew who was the ideal person for that task...

- "I can't wait to see my great-chested hunny again!"- exclaimed the redheaded as they entered the Upper-class quarter.

- "You'd better avoid saying that in front of Sheena if you care for your life"- added Genis sweat dropping- "But I'm also glad to finally see her again"

- "Yep! We need to get ready for our trip to Mizuho. We have so many things to do!"

- "Zelos..."- muttered the young half-elf stopping.

- "Huh? What is it?"

- "Thank you for your help back there... I'm afraid I couldn't have done it without you"

- "Awww!"- exclaimed Zelos while he hugged Genis- "Anything for my little friend!"

- "Uggh!"- panted the other- "I can't breathe!"

* * *

Preparations for the trip were done quickly so the next morning, just as the sun was starting to rise, the pair left Meltokio aboard two Rheairds. Their objective: Mizuho. They flew above Aselia for several hours, until they saw Yggdrasil below them.

- "We are getting close!"- exclaimed Zelos as he started to descend.

Fifteen minutes later, they had landed outside Gaoracchia Forest. Nothing but thick and tall trees appeared in front of them.

- "You know the folks at Mizuho"- commented Zelos as he stretched his arms- "Secretive as ever, they have moved to the depths of the forest. We can't reach them with our Rheairds, so we'll have to walk from here"

- "Too bad we don't have the sorcerer's ring with us anymore"

- "Don't worry, this baby will help us cross the forest"- commented Zelos as he showed Genis a portable lamp that used the environment's mana to function- "This is one of the wonders of Magitechnology's development. Besides, I don't think we'll have as many problems as the last time we were here"

- "I hope so..."- muttered Genis as he glanced at the round scar on his right hand product of the continuous use of Marble's exphere. He was glad that his dear friend was finally resting in peace after all the help she had lend him during their journey, but at the same time was aware that his spells had never been as strong as they had been those days.

- "Let's go! The Thrilling Adventures of the Great and Handsome Swordsman Zelos and his Brainy Squire are about to begin!"

- "Ha! Ha! So funny..."- replied the half-elf rolling his eyes as he entered the forest.

* * *

They traveled across the thick trees for several hours. Just as Zelos predicted it, they only found some minor inconveniences during their journey, mainly from some wild animals and plants. Zelos was at the lead, slashing the plants that blocked their way with his sword skills, while Genis tried to keep a minor spell ready in case an animal attacked them. And when night caught them, they installed a small camp in one of the forest's clearings.

- "There!"- said Zelos as he put the last branch he had found on the ground on top of their bonfire.

- "_Fireball!"-_ with the help of his Kendama, Genis started the fire that would keep them warm during that night.

- "Good to see that your fireballs are still useful"- commented Zelos as he plopped down besides his friend.

- "Really? My offer is still up, you know?"- replied the mage referring to the time when he had threatened to burn Zelos to a crisp when the former-Chosen had been making fun of his spells.

- "No thanks!"- replied Zelos sweat dropping.

They sat for a few minutes, just looking at the fire.

- "So tell me..."- said Zelos breaking the silence- "How is you love life?"

- "Wha...?"- replied Genis snapping a twig he was holding.- "What do you mean?"

- "You know... is there a girl in your life?"

- "No one besides Raine..."- replied the mage blushing- "But it's ok, I've been doing important stuff all these years"

- "I see..."- Zelos moving towards a tree to recline on it's trunk- "It's just that I'd always imagined you in a big school in Sybak or New Palmacosta and dating a nerdy girl like you, the whole scene..."

- "You sound like Raine..."- muttered the youth- "She's always telling me to go to a school and reach my dreams... but the truth is that what I'm doing is also one of my dreams"

- "Freeing Half-elves from discrimination?"

- "Yes... you know how my life has been. Being rejected from many places because of my blood, what happened to my mom... besides, I know this is what Mithos really wished for."

- "Before he really went cuckoo..."- added Zelos but stopped when he saw his friend's face - "I'm sorry. I know you really considered Mithos as your friend"

- "Mithos was wrong in many ways... but I think that in the end we all wished the same things as himself: A world where everybody can live in peace and free from hate and discrimination"

- "We have all been working for that, Genis"- said Zelos putting his hand on his friend's shoulder- "And I think that we have done a great job. So it's OK to look forward to your own future. If you wish to become a Scholar, you should do it"

- "You are right... I'm not sure what I'm going to do after this whole Exire deal ends, but I'll think about it..."- Genis then slapped Zelos on the head- "AND WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY _NERDY_?!"

- "You've been acquiring all you sister's bad habits, you know?"- whined the redheaded. Genis was about to reply when they heard a branch snap a few meters from their camp.

Without making a sound, Zelos stood up. Genis followed him, already reaching for his Kendama. Zelos took his sword out.

- "Must be a wolf..."- he whispered- "Get ready..."

- "Got it"- muttered Genis closing his eyes and chanting in low voice the words for his spell. He felt the mana around him revolve and transform into his attack. Their enemy's footsteps seemed to rush towards them, then there was movement inside a couple of bushes at their right.

- "There it is!"- screamed Zelos charging towards their attacker. Genis finished chanting his spell and pointed it towards the bushes, ready to release it once the creature stepped into the clearing. But then everything seemed to happen too quickly: Genis heard a loud cry behind him, but it was already too late for him. Before he could change the direction of his Kendama and defend himself, a blur appeared in front of him, followed by a sharp pain on his left arm...

- "WATCH OUT!"

_And then, everything blacked out... _

* * *

Genis woke up inside what seemed to be a wooden cabin. The room was dark and its only source of light was a chimney on the opposite wall. Sitting next to it was Zelos, who let out a relaxed sigh when he noticed that his friend had regained consciousness.

- "You are finally awake!"- he exclaimed as he moved towards Genis' bed- "You sure scared me back there! Don't do that ever again!"

- "Wh... where are we?"- Genis' voice sounded weary. His head was pouncing with pain- "What happ... AUGH! DAMN!"- he groaned when he tried to move his arm: That's when he noticed that it was already bandaged.

- "Don't force yourself, bud!"- said Zelos pulling a chair and sitting on it.- "You sure were lucky to have me back there, otherwise she'd had chopped you completely. Exphere or not, her ax still is dangerous!"

Genis' blood seemed to freeze in that moment: _She? Ax? He's got to be kidding me!_

- "_I'm glad to see that you are already recovering, Genis"_- whispered a soft voice at the door: Just as he imagined, a tall, young woman was standing there, her pink hair tied in two braids and a huge ax resting at her side.

_Presea Combatir was back in their lives..._

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED. **

**A/N: **Thank you so much for reading this! CC is always welcome! :)


	3. Blown Away!

**Chapter 2: Blown Away!**

- _"I'm glad to see that you are already recovering, Genis"_- these words floated in the air, but never reached his ears: He was way too concentrated trying to register the fact that _she_ was in the same room as himself.

- "Umm... Genis?"- asked Zelos waving a hand in front of his face- "Are you there, buddy?"

- "What?"- replied the half-elf finally recovering his senses- "Yeah... I'm fine"

- "Good"- Zelos stood up, a loop-side smile drawn on his lips- "Is it my imagination or this room feels a bit too chilly? Better feed the fireplace with more wood or my bud Genis will catch a cold"

- "The wood I've just chopped is outside"- said Presea with her distinctive monotonous voice- "I'll bring some logs"

- "You've just arrived from the forest and must be tired, my little rosebud. Let me look for the wood instead while you and my bratty friend exchange a few hellos"- said Zelos with a reverence- "After all, that's what the gentlemen like myself are for"

- "Since when?"- added Genis with a grin.

- "Thank you, Zelos"- said Presea, placing her ax against the wall.

- "No prob, dear"- replied the red-haired man walking towards the door- "I'll just leave you two..."- Zelos glanced at the half-elven youth with a mischievous look- "_Alone"_.

Finally realizing the intentions behind his friend's actions, Genis blushed madly as Zelos left the room, closing the door and leaving them indeed alone.

_Gulp_

Presea approached the hurt youth and sat down on the chair the Zelos had placed previously near the bed. Glancing at her, the wizard noticed that she hadn't changed that much over the years. True, she was taller and more... ummm... _developed_ (_'Zelos' perverseness is rubbing into me!'_) but her eyes were still serene looking, matching her soft voice and... and... she was still pretty.... no, forget that. She was more than pretty... she was _beautiful_.

Genis felt his heart beating wildly against his ribs, sweat forming in his forehead and hands... and that _damn_ blush looked like it wouldn't go away anytime soon.

- "Are you feeling alright?"- she looked worried, placing her hand over his forehead- "I don't think you have a fever"

- "I'm... I'm OK"- replied Genis with a weak smile- "Ju... Just a little tired, don't worry".

He tried to sit down to show her what he meant, but a sharp pain in his shoulder made him wince and fall back over his pillow. Presea's serene face became a frown.

- "You are still hurt. I must apologize..."

- "You don't need to apologize. It was an accident... it was dark after all and..."- he replied quickly.

- "I should have paid more attention"- she interrupted. Her face looked unexpressive- "I should have noticed it was you before I attacked. If it weren't for Zelos and his "First Aid" spell, I'm not sure you would have arrived to my house alive."

- "Don't think about that..."- he said paling a bit- "So you live here now? I thought you were living with Regal in Altamira"

- "I did for a few years. But then I decided to move to New Ozette after it was rebuilt and protect my people. The forest is dangerous lately... there's a gang of thieves that attacks and kills the villagers at night"

- "So that's why you were out that late and attacked us"- said Genis- "You thought we were part of that gang, right?"

- "Yes. Like I said, I should had made sure you weren't thieves before rushing to my attack"- A tiny smile quirked at Presea's lips- "Although... I must admit that I wouldn't had recognized you if it weren't for Zelos... you are physically different"

- "R... really?"- Genis glanced at the window- "I... I think it's kind of obvious... it's been a long time..."

- "Nine years, eleven months and 5 days. A large span of time"- added Presea with the same mechanic tone of voice she used when she recited facts and general data- "We've had plenty of time to reach puberty, it seems"

- "Y.. yeah..."- Genis' cheeks were crimson red. _What kind of comment was THAT after all?_- "You've changed a lot too"

- "You think so?"- Presea cocked her head to the side- "Is it a bad thing?"

- "NO!"- exclaimed the half-elf immediately- "Not at all! It's a good thing!"

Presea smiled - "Thank you"

- "Wh... what for?"

- "That was a compliment, wasn't it?"

- "Yes... it was"- Genis smiled- "I'm surprised that you now know when someone compliments you"

- "It's something I've been learning all these years..."- Presea placed her hand over Genis' cheek, making him shiver- "It looks like you are finally recovering. I better leave you rest for a while. Zelos told me you have a mission ahead and you must be fully recovered to continue it"

- "Right..."- replied the wizard a little bit disappointed by her departure. Presea stood up and went towards the door- "Wait!"

- "Something's wrong?"

- "No... ehh... I just wanted to thank you, for everything"

Presea nodded- "My pleasure. It's good to see you again"- she said before leaving the room.

* * *

Genis sighed before slapping himself on the head- "_Stupid! Stupid! Ten years and you still act like a retarded kid in front of her! Get a grip man_!"

A knock on the door interrupted his self-beating.

- "May I come in?"- said Zelos' distinctive voice behind the door.

- "Go ahead"

The red-headed Ambassador entered the room carrying a few logs and chanting a silly song that made Genis roll his eyes. Once he threw them to the fire, Zelos glanced at his friend with a wide smile.

- "So... feeling better, bud?"

- "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

- "Huh?"- Zelos took a step backwards, his face showing false innocence- "What are you talking about?"

- "You left us alone on purpose! Admit it!"- exclaimed the half-elf frowning. A wicked smile appeared on the human's face.

- "Alright, alright... I admit I wanted to give you a little push towards your eternal crush. After all, you told me last night that you were as single as I'm gorgeous!"- Zelos sat down on the bed, almost knocking the wizard from it- "So tell me, Casanova, how was it?"

- "Pathetic. I have no idea how to act in front of a girl, specially one like Presea"- admitted Genis looking towards the window.

- "That means you stuttered and blushed like a little kid, right?"

- "Right, but you didn't have to describe it so clearly"- groaned the wizard pulling the sheets towards him- "She must think I'm a dork..."

- "You ARE a dork, but I don't think Presea looks at you that way, though"- Zelos got closer to the youth and whispered- "She sure was happy to see you again. I think she likes you too"

- "Don't mess with me... it's not funny!"

- "I'm not joking! It's the truth!"- Zelos pulled the wizard's sleeve- "And if you let Zelos, the _Evangelist of Love_, help you, be sure that Presea will fall for your charm in no time!"

The offer was tempting. Afterall, Zelos was quite the chick magnet... even if he was a pervert and an idiot most of the time. Genis sighed- "Let me think about it for a while, ok? I'm too tired and it's not really the time to think about my personal life... we still need to find Sheena"

- "Don't worry about that! We've got that already covered!"

- "We?"

- "Presea is a frequent visitor to Mizuho and she has volunteered to show us the way tomorrow morning. She knows the forest like the palm of her hand, so we'll reach my voluptuous hunny in no time!"

Genis smiled: Not only would they complete their mission earlier, but Presea was going with them too!.

- "OK... so if we want to leave tomorrow early, you'll need a good night's sleep..."- Zelos sniffed the air- "And a good meal from the expert hands of our cute rosebud friend! I wonder what she's preparing?"

- "I don't care... I know it'll be good!"

- "Awww! My little crushing bud!"- said Zelos messing with his younger friend's hair- "Better leave now and help our hostess. Sleep tight, my geeky friend!"

Genis was preparing a sarcastic comeback for his friend... but fatigue invaded him again. Feeling his eyelids heavy, he drifted to the land of dreams, accompanied by a new plan and the aroma of Presea's cooking...

* * *

A cold morning greeted our three heroes when they left the cabin the next day. Finally recovered after a good day of rest, Genis only needed to keep his left arm bandaged to continue their journey (and he used the right hand for his Kendama after all).

- "Well..."- said Zelos yawning- "Let's go to Mizuho!"

- "We'll reach our destination in 5.4 hours if we don't find trouble on our way"- said Presea gripping her ax- "Thieves attack at night, but we shouldn't lower our guard even if it's clear"

- "Sounds good to me"- added Genis adjusting his bag- "Show us the way please, Presea"

The group wandered around the forest for a few hours. Most of the time they were silent, with Zelos babbling random stuff about life in Meltokio and politics once in a while. Genis told Presea what Raine and himself had been doing all those years, including their plan to bring Exire back to land.

- "I always felt that city as a lonely one"- said Presea emotionless- "I'm sure it'd be a nice change for them to be here again after so many years"

- "Most of them can't even imagine a life in the land"- said Genis- "I hope they won't find many difficulties while they get used to this place"

- "We'll help them"- said Zelos joining the conversation- "The King was very interested in Exire if you remember, bud"

- "And I'm sure Regal will be glad to help them adapt their place to the spot they have chosen to live in"- Presea added- "That's what he has been doing all these years after all: Using the resources of the Lezareno Company, he has helped rebuilding all the cities and villages that were destroyed during Mithos' reign"

- "Yeah, New Palmacosta is beautiful"- said Genis- "I couldn't believe how cool the Academy has become when I visited last time. Their library is huge!"

- "It would be a good idea to visit Regal to inform him about our plans later, don't you think?"- suggested Zelos- "We could even hang for a while in Altamira and have some fun!"

- "You just want to drool at the girls in bikini, don't you?"- replied Genis with a smirk- "And hit on them too!"

- "Shut up, brat!"- said Zelos- "What's wrong in admiring the beauty of the female body?"

- "Yeah, yeah... anyway, it's a good idea"- said Genis smiling- "We should consult it with Raine and the Mayor after we reach Exire"

- "Cool! We are going on vacation!"- exclaimed Zelos cheerfully

- "Continous chatting reduces our speed. We must keep going if we want to reach Mizuho before noon"- interrupted Presea.

- "OK, OK... I'm shutting up no..."

_- "Well, well, well... what do we have here?"- _a raspy voice interrupted the former Chosen.

- "Danger"- whispered Presea taking out her ax. Genis and Zelos followed her with their respective weapons.

- "_It's a trio of vermin!"_- added a second voice.

- "Who are you calling vermin?"- said Zelos angrily.

- "_A bunch of dirty, despicable garbage"_- added a third voice, deeper than the other two. The source, a tall bearded man, emerged from the woods, a large sword on his hand.- "The worst kind of all!"

- "Look who's talking!"- exclaimed the red-head- "It's obvious that he hasn't looked at himself lately"

- "SHUT UP!"- roared the man. Presea raised her ax, anger visible on her face.

- "What do you want from us? Gald?"- asked Genis, raising his kendama and already thinking of a spell to get rid of the thieve. The two other thieves that were accompanying the man emerged from some bushes, surrounding the group.

- "We don't want money... that's what the people of Ozette are for!"- replied the large thieve, apparently the leader- "We are here under orders of Lady Zumika to destroy you filthy half-elf! And your half-elf supporter friends!"

- "I... I can't believe there's still people like you!"- said Zelos- "Half-Elf discrimination is something that has been fading out over the years!"

- "That's what our group fights against! We won't let you bring those pieces of garbage from Exire back to land! We are going to end this madness once and for all!"

- "Over my dead body!"- roared Genis as he unleashed his attack- "Drown sucker! _Spread!"_

A strong water spurt emerged from the ground, knocking the Thieves' leader up. Presea and Zelos charged at the other two enemies.

- "_Fierce Demon Fang!"_

- "_Eternal Damnation!"_

The force of their attacks were enough to knock out the thieves, who fell to the ground unconscious.

- "Pathetic bastards!"- said Zelos pointing at them with their sword- "Thinking they could defeat us!"

- "That's what you think!"- said the leader standing up weakly. He put two fingers over his lips and blew, a loud whistle emerging through them. At once, a large group of thieves emerged from their hiding spots and surrounded our heroes, who ended trapped in the center of the circle with their backs against each other.

- "Are you part of a gang of something?"- said Zelos gulping.

- "Geez, Zelos. How long did it take you to figure that out?"

- "Shut up!"

- "The proportion of enemies/allies is 35:3"- said Presea coldly- "The probability to make it out of this battle alive without our expheres is 20"

- "Thanks for the positive prediction, Presea"- replied Zelos.

- "No! We can't end like this! There's got to be something we can do!"- cried Genis.

- "You are right"- said Presea raising her ax- "As long as I can stand, I'll fight. We will win"

- "Count me in!"- added Zelos- "After all, I pass on dying in the hands of these morons, thanks"

- "OK! Let's do it, then!"

The three friends charged towards their enemies in what looked to be a suicide battle. But then, something happened: Three bright spots of light appeared above them.

- "What are those lights?"- exclaimed Zelos while he ducked an attack from a thieve.

The lights quickly materialized themselves into three creatures that resembled fairies. One had a bow, the second one had a shield and the last one, their leader, a sword.

- "Ready? Let's go!"- chirped the "fairy leader" starting to glow. A large green tornado started to form in the center of the clearing, it's strong winds pulling the thieves off the ground.

- "_Cyclone!"-_ exclaimed the three fairies as the tornado spun at full force and speed, blowing the thieves away.

- "_This is not over... Lady Zu...ka...ll...ki...ou...all!"- _screamed the Thieves' leader as he disappeared in the horizon.

Zelos sighed- "THAT was CLOSE! Who were those guys who saved us?"

- "They undoubtedly looked like the Sylphs"- said Presea

- "The Sylphs? The Summon Spirits of Wind?"- asked Genis- "That must mean..."

_- "Are you alright guys?"_- A medium-height woman wearing a dark purple kimono and with dark hair combed into a bun appeared from the shadows, holding a pair of red cards on her hands. Her hard face softened when she found her friends standing in the clearing, _safe_.

- "Sheena"- said Presea resting her ax on the ground- "You found us"

- "Of course I did!"- replied the Emissary of Peace with a smile- "I've been expecting you."- she looked at Zelos and Genis, her kind eyes shining with recognition.- "Come with me, we've got a lot to discuss"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**A/N: **I decided to leave this chapter here to avoid making it too long and/or boring. Thank you so much for reading this! :)

_Special thanks to Angel White, Sir Exal and DemonHunter47 for their kind comments that motivated me to continue this story. Thank you so much! ___


	4. Land of Dreams

**CHAPTER 3: LAND OF DREAMS**

Since the moment she became Mizuho's Chief, one of Sheena's top priorities had been keeping her village's distinctive culture and traditions as intact as possible. Keeping that goal in mind, she had decided to move the village to the depths of the Gaoracchia Forest to avoid any contact with the new communities and towns that had flourished near their original location (some of them from what used to be Sylvarant), even if her people and herself weren't considered traitors anymore.

- "This is beautiful..."- whispered Genis as he looked around the new village, with it's paper-walled houses and shops built around a pond and connected by several wooden bridges, accompanied by the large trees of the forest. To the half-elf, the hidden village looked like an hybrid between Heimdall and Luin but with that special touch that only the ancient Mizuho culture could provide.- "It looks so much different than the Mizuho from my memories!"

- "A new location obviously implies a new outlook for a town"- commented Presea coldly.

- "Of course I knew that! It was just a comment!"- exclaimed Genis- "You don't have to take every word I say so literal!"

- "I see... I apologize"- replied the girl increasing her speed so she could reach Sheena and Zelos, who were chatting in front of them.

- "W... wait! I didn't mean to..."- he tried to stop her, but to no avail. Sighing, the half-elf slapped his head- "I'm such a lost cause..."

* * *

- "You don't need to explain me your reasons for your visit"- said Sheena as she kneeled in front of her friends. They were inside her house, a medium-sized wooden construction whose design followed every principle of the Igaguri Style.- "Our contact in Meltokio have already sent a message with all the details"- she smiled- "I'm really glad that Exire is finally coming back to Aselia, it's inhabitants deserve to enjoy this land as much as the rest of us"

- "Just as expected"- replied Genis grinning- "The Mizuho intelligence network is always ten steps ahead us, unlike the _other _one I've heard about..."

- "We would had arrived earlier if it weren't for your clumsiness, _brat_!"- exclaimed Zelos- "And don't talk ill about _my hunnies_!"

- "I'm not talking ill of them, I'm just stating a fact!. And I've already told you a million times to stop calling me a brat, you stupid Ze...!"

- "I'm not sure what are they talking about..."- commented Sheena with an exasperated sigh- "But for my mental health's sake I won't ask"

- "That seems to be the best course of action"- added Presea softly.

- "SHUT UP!"- exclaimed the summoner once she lost her patience. The males immediately stopped their discussion.

- "Sorry..."

- "Shutting up now..."

- "Anyway..."- continued their hostess- "Even if I already know the reasons for your visit, that doesn't mean we don't have business to discuss. For example, Genis, when do you think I should go to Exire?"

- "I don't know..."- replied the half-elf startled- "I'm not sure, but I think it should be as soon as possible. The people from Exire were excited about their return to land so..."

- "I see... so that means I should get ready for our trip as soon as possible"- commented Sheena, her eyes displaying a cheerful glint- "I'm sure Orochi can replace me while I'm gone. I'll talk to him right away!"

- "Isn't it exciting? Our voluptuous friend is joining us! We only need to find Lloyd, Collete, Regal and your gorgeous sister and it'd be like the old times!"

- "Who are you calling voluptuous!?"- exclaimed Sheena as she slapped the redheaded ambassador- "You stupid Ch... Ambassador!"

- "Owww..."- whimpered Zelos- "Why do you always have to be so violent?"

- "But you are right on one thing"-continued the summoner ignoring her friend- "It's almost like the old times..."

- "So what are we still doing here? Let's go!"- exclaimed Genis. His friends watched him surprised, making the half-elf blush.- "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

- "It's nothing..."- said Sheena smirking- "It's just that all those years in Iselia with Lloyd had an impact on you after all"

- "You think so?"- said Genis smiling but then quickly added- "Well, at least I won't become bored with everything as easily as he did!"

* * *

The day passed quickly in the usually quiet Mizuho Village, which came to life with the presence of Sheena's noisy but welcomed friends. All the villagers knew about the heroes that reunited the worlds and gave life to the Yggdrasill Tree 10 years before: The elder ones were actually witnesses of their arrival to their former village while the younger ones were told stories about their adventures every night.

- "I feel old"- commented Sheena that night while sipping a cup of tea with Zelos at her door.

- "You'll never be old, _hunny"_- said Zelos- "Why do you think that?"

- "Just look at them!"- replied the Summoner as she pointed to Genis, who was busy teaching some _kendama_ tricks to a group of children, and Presea, who was sitting near the pond sharpening her ax- "At the risk of sounding like my late Grandpa, look at how much they've grown!"

- "The little rosebud sure has bloomed into a beautiful flower"- Sheena rolled her eyes at that cheesy comment- "But I wish I could say the same about our dorky pal... he's quite short, don't you think?"

- "Never mind..."- said Sheena as she sat down on the steps that led to the entrance of her home.

- "Somehow I feel that the stature growth of our younger friends is not what's making you this moody tonight, Sheena"- commented Zelos as he sat besides her- "What's wrong?"

- "It's just that watching them has reminded me that it's been 10 years"- replied the former Assassin- "Ten years that I've spent apart from my friends and from the world in general. The only one that I've kept in contact with is Presea, but that's only because she lives near Mizuho. I've been so busy that I haven't even been able to continue with my duty as an Emissary of Peace"

- "Are you telling me that you regret being Mizuho's Chief?"

- "Of course not!"- replied Sheena- "This is a great honor, specially since I'm filling the spot my grandpa left when he died 8 years ago. After all the destruction Mithos caused to this area, it was my duty to look after my people and their welfare"

- "Such a great responsibility for a young _hunny_ like yourself"- commented Zelos placing a hand over his friend's shoulder- "I can relate to that..."

- "Really? So your job as an Ambassador really involves something _besides_ endlessly flirting with all the noble girls in Aselia?"

- "For your information, my role as Meltokio's Ambassador has a greater importance than Princess Hilda's. I am the King's advisor, after all"

- "I know that, I was just teasing"- Sheena smirked. Zelos smiled.

- "Anyway, I was talking about my role as Tethe'alla's Chosen of Mana. You know, the whole dying act 'to assure our world's Age of Prosperity'"

- "Even if the "whole dying act" was just a way to find a vessel for Martel's revival"

- "Correct. But neither the Church or the people from our world knew that, so I was never treated as a regular kid. I always had duties and compromises with the Church and the Monarchy. I never had a chance to play or have fun like the rest of the kids in Meltokio and I always knew that if Tethe'alla ever started to decline, I would have to give up my life to stop that"- Zelos sighed- "Everyday I'd wake up with the feeling that maybe that day would be the last one for me"

- "I don't a have a responsibility as big as the one you had, Zelos, but I think I can understand why you can relate to my feelings"- said Sheena- "We both didn't have time to enjoy our lives as everyone else. We didn't have time to make plans for our future"

- "Exactly. With a life expectation as short as mine, who'd think about settling down and raise a family?. It was better to enjoy the moment, flirt endlessly and have fun as much as I could"

- "An activity you've never let go, even if you aren't the Chosen anymore"

- "Those are just rumors, Sheena"- said Zelos laughing- "After a life being a playboy, it is hard to make people think of me as anything but that"

- "That's not what my contact in Meltokio says"- added Sheena frowning- "He says that you spent a whole night dragging Genis through all the pubs and party halls in Meltokio while you flirted with all the girls that crossed your path!"

- "Are you jealous, Sheena?"

- "Me?!"- exclaimed the girl- "You've got to be kidding!! I was just stating a fact and proving that you _still_ are a playboy _and_ a pervert!"

- "I guess that's part of my nature... but I'm not as bad as you think"- said Zelos with a charming smile- "If I still flirt, it's because I'm still looking for the perfect woman to settle down with"

- "What?!"

- "You know, someone as perfect, handsome and brave as the Great Zelos Wilder only deserves a perfect woman who... _OW!"- _exclaimed the redhead as he rubbed his shoulder- "Why did you do that?!"

- "Because I wanted to!"- said Sheena crossing her arms- "And at that rate you'll never find a girl, Zelos"

- "Because I'm so perfect?"

- "Because there's no such thing as a _perfect_ human, you idiot! You'll never look at a _real_ girl as long as you keep searching for the impossible!"

- "Well, at least I'm looking for _something_ instead of waiting in one place like you!"- replied Zelos a little bit angered.

Already furious. Sheena exclaimed- "For your information, I already have someone!"

Zelos nearly chocked on his tea- "You WHAT?!"

- "Orochi asked me to marry him a few months ago..."

- "And you said yes?!"- Zelos couldn't believe what he was hearing.

- "I said I would think about it"- muttered Sheena- "But you know what? Now I'm thinking of accepting his proposal"

- "Why?! Do you even love him?!"- asked Zelos loudly.

- "Orochi is one of my best friends. He's been my right hand all these years, the one who I could look up when I had a problem, the one who understood me the best in the whole Village. I'm sure that with time I'd learn to love him..."

- "I don't think that's a good reason to marry someone, Sheena"

- "Why not? At least he is a realistic option"- the summoner sighed- "Let's face it: My duty is to remain in Mizuho so there's no other way I could find someone else to settle down with. I'm almost 30, I guess it's time to accept that my adventures ended with Mithos' defeat. We both need to do some growing up too, Zelos"

Sheena stood up and walked towards her room- "It's too late... Have a goodnight, Zelos"

- "Sheena, wait..."- but Zelos couldn't stop her, because she had already closed the door. He sighed- "I still think you are making a mistake..."

* * *

- "Have a good night, too!"- exclaimed Genis as he watched the children return to their homes. Yawning widely, he realized how tired he was. _'Better go to bed now... tomorrow's trip to Exire will be a long one. Not that I'm complaining, I'm glad that I'll see Raine again. I hope she's doing OK...'_

As he walked towards the tent that Zelos and himself would be sharing that night, he found Presea sitting near the pond. As he got closer he noticed that she was busy sharpening her ax. _'I guess this is a good chance to apologize to her...'_.

Her quick reflexes immediately noticed his arrival.- "You should be resting now, Genis. Your arm needs energy in order to heal"

- "My arm is fine"- he muttered as he sat down besides her. She still had her gaze fixed on her weapon.- "It can wait a few more minutes..."

- "Apology accepted... but not needed"

- "Presea I'm... huh? How did you...?"

- "I sensed that was the reason you wanted to talk to me right now"- she whispered as she finally looked at him- "But as I said, it wasn't necessary. I understand"

- "What do you understand?"- he asked genuinely confused- "I lost my temper back there and was rude to you!"

- "Because I also displayed an insensitive behavior"- she added. Genis sighed.

- "It's OK, that's just the way you are..."- Presea tilted her head to the side and the half-elf suddenly realized what he had said- "Th... that doesn't mean that you are insensitive, of course!"- he quickly added- _'Stupid! Stupid!'._

- "I already know how my psyche works..."

- "Oh..."- he muttered- "I see..."

- "... And I wish I could be more open and expressive, but I guess I spent... too many years with an empty soul. Even if I'm finally sort of regaining my lost time and feelings, I guess I'll always be... different"

- "Different is good"- said Genis.- "Differences are what make this world interesting... and people like you special"

A small smile illuminating her face- "A wise belief"

- "And a hard one to learn, too"- added Genis- "To think that I used to believe that being the same was the key to a peaceful life. In that way, I was sort of tempted by Mithos' ideals"

- "But unlike Mithos... you were capable of seeing the other side of that argument and change"- said Presea- "And that's how people mature in the end. I... also have had to learn a few lessons the same way"

The half-elf nodded- "I guess all of us did"- he yawned again- "I think I will follow your advice and get some rest"

- "I'll be doing the same... as soon as I finish with this"- she whispered as she showed him her Gaia Cleaver and the small black and shiny pebble that she was using to sharpen her weapon.

- "Hey! I recognize that!"- exclaimed Genis proudly- "That's the rock I gave you after we left the Earth Temple. I never imagined you'd keep it all these years!"

- "It's a memento from those days"- she replied passing the pebble over the ax's edge for the final time.- "And a useful tool too. Why wouldn't I keep it?"

- "Yeah... y... you are right"- he said feeling his cheeks warm and standing up. The axgirl also stood up and moved towards her friend.

- "Good Night, Genis"- she whispered softly on his ear before leaving to her tent.

It was after she was gone that the half-elf smiled- "Good Night, Presea".

* * *

The next day started early. After a rude awakening courtesy of their hostess- _'Did you really have to summon Undine on us, hunny?!'- _and a quick breakfast prepared by Genis- _'What do you mean I made too many omelets?!'_- the group left the Mizuho village through a secret passage that led them to the northern exit of Gaoracchia Forest in no time.

- "Just a second... here they are!"- Two Rheairds appeared in front of them as soon as Zelos opened his wing pack.- "I guess we'll have to share them"

- "In that case I'll go with Genis and you can go with Presea on the other one"- decided Sheena as she climbed her vehicle. Instead of the traditional kimono she was wearing the day before, she had put on a set of clothing very similar to the one she used to wear during their adventure.

- "Fine, as you wish!"- replied Zelos as he moved towards the other Rheaird- "Come with me, my little blossom"

- "Is it my imagination or those two got up from the wrong side of the bed this morning?"- whispered Genis. Presea just sighed and sat behind Zelos.

- "So, where is Exire at this moment?"- asked Sheena as she started the vehicle.

- "It was flying a few miles from Meltokio and heading southeast so, if we keep in mind the time that has passed since I left Exire and it's speed, I think it may be now floating near Palmacosta"

- "OK, let's get moving then!"

The two Rheairds took off towards the Aselia sky.

And to the South they went...

* * *

- "Sleep tight, my sweet girl"- a young-looking elf whispered to her daughter... or what she thought as that. - "Tomorrow will be another sunny day. And if we keep on hoping, it'll be the day where your father is coming back to us"

- "She's been like that for a couple of days, hasn't her?"- whispered a girl, whose red hair was pulled into a high ponytail, as she served tea in a pair of cups.

- "Correct"- the elf's _real_ daughter replied as she looked at her mother with sad eyes- "Everyday she wakes up asking for her husband. That isn't new. But now she claims that Father has talked to her and promised that he would be back soon"

- "People like her usually see and hear what their hearts really wish for"- muttered the girl- "It's part of their nature. After all, they are living in their own land of dreams"

- "Because they can't accept the nightmares of their reality... or so they believe"- the scholar stood up and moved towards the door- "I wish she'd open her eyes and realize that the world she lives in isn't a nightmare anymore. No matter how many stories I tell her about the wonders of Aselia, the legends behind it's ancient ruins and the peace that surrounds us, she keeps living inside her mind. If only..."

- "Don't be so hard on yourself, Raine. You've heard Grandma tell all those stories of pursuits and losses that haunted our race for years. Not all of us are strong like you... Some of us needed to live in a refuge, being it a floating city or the depths of our minds"

- "But that will change soon"- Raine sat near her mother, who was singing a lullaby to her "daughter"- "Once the people of this town return to Aselia, things are going to be different"

- "It'll be a great change for all us"- said the girl playing with a lock of her hair- "And a hard one too. You've told us that"

- "Of course... it'll be a time of change, but also of adaptation. The world your Grandmother and my mother remember is not the same one as the world that lies below us now. You'll see it soon, Stella."- Raine sighed- "And I hope that Mother sees it too"

Suddenly, a loud noise came from outside. It was soon joined by some whispering, giggling and hushing. Stella went to the window and peeked through it.

- "It seems that someone has arrived, Raine"- she said- "And by the looks of the people, it seems that he brings great news to our town"

Raine smiled - "He's back!"- she looked at her mother- "Mother, Genis has returned. I'm going to greet him and will be back soon"

Virginia didn't reply. She was falling asleep and still holding the doll close to her chest- _'She probably used to do that to protect me when Father was gone. Mother...' _

The Professor left her mother's small house and moved quickly towards the main square. As she expected, a Rheaird was already placed in the center and her brother was descending it while greeting a few villagers. What she didn't expect on the other hand, were the people accompanying him- "Could they be?"- she whispered as she got closer.

- "My gorgeous Professor!"- suddenly exclaimed a redheaded man that Raine immediately recognized as the former Chosen of Tethe'alla- "It's so nice to see you!"

- "I'm also glad to see you again, Zelos"- replied the half-elf softly as her friend took her hand and kissed it.

- "My lovely lady! You haven't aged a bit since I last saw you! You look as wonderful as the last time!"

- "Errr... thank you, Zelos"

- "Half-elve's life-spans last approximately a thousand years. Therefore, their aging becomes significantly slower than ours once they reach adulthood"- said a pink-haired girl in a familiar tone of voice.

- "Awww! Presea! Why do you always ruin my praises?"- whined the redheaded man. Raine smiled.

- "It's been a long time, Professor Sage"- saluted the girl.

- "Indeed"

- "Sis!"- Genis had finally stopped greeting the villagers and ran towards his sister, hugging her tightly once he reached her- "I missed you!"

- "I missed you too, Genis."- replied the scholar softly- "Even if you were gone only for a few days"

- "I know..."- said the younger half-elf blushing slightly, but then smiled- "Hey! Did you like my surprise?"

- "Zelos and Presea? Of course! You do remember that we were talking about them the other day..."

- "And what about me?"- said the final member of the group, a lean dark-haired girl that Raine undoubtedly recognized as Sheena.

- "Of course they thought about you too!"- said Zelos grinning- "How could anybody forget that ches... I mean face?!"

- "Arggh! Stupid Ambassador!"- replied Sheena angrily but then she turned to the Professor.- "Good to see you, Raine"

- "The pleasure is mine, Sheena"- said Raine looking at her friends and brother- "Anyway. Now that we have exchanged our greetings, I assume that your visit obeys not only to a personal purpose, am I right?"

- "Of course, Professor!"- exclaimed Zelos, gaining the attention of the whole town- "I am here as His Majesty's representative to observe this town's move back to land. The King agrees with these people's wish to live in Aselia and has given this young lad"- he pointed at Genis- "his permission to place Exire in any spot you may select"

Zelos announcement was followed by a round of cheers and applauses. In that moment a man that looked around 50 moved towards the Ambassador.

- "As Exire's mayor, I must express our gratitude for your visit"- he announced as he shook Zelos' hand- "I also want to express our desire to live among the people of Aselia in peace. If what your King says is true, then I am sure that working together we'll be able to start a new age of prosperity and cooperation between half-elves and the rest of the races in the reunited world. However, we know it won't be easy, but we won't give up and hide anymore. This is what our ancestors wished for us back in the Kharlan War, and it's time we do something to achieve that goal"

Another round of cheers and applauses followed the Mayor's words. Then, Zelos asked the Mayor if they had already chosen a spot for Exire- _"We wish to live in the place that Exire's founders chose for our town thousands of years ago, in the east coast of Heimdall"_- Afterwards Sheena asked the villagers when they wanted the move to take place. A few negotiations later, it was decided that Exire would return to it's original location during the next sunrise. That left a few hours for the villagers to pack their things and get ready for the move, so the meeting was officially over and everybody went home.

- "We should go home too"- said Raine moving towards her mother's house- "Of course, you are all invited to stay with us tonight"

- "Thank you, Raine"- said Sheena. Presea and Zelos nodded in agreement.

- "I'm sure you are eager to see Mother, Genis"- commented the scholar. When she didn't hear a reply, she turned around to find her brother frozen in his place- "What's wrong?"

- "N... nothing!"- he muttered nervously.- "It's just that I was thinking about something and you took me by surprise"

- "I can guess what are you thinking about!"- teased Zelos as he glanced at Presea- "Or more exactly, _who_ are you thinking about!"

Blushing - "What?! Mind your own business!"- replied Genis angrily as he moved faster towards the house, almost tripping with a rock.

- "By the way"- said Sheena- "How is your mother doing?"

- "She's... the same as the last time you were here"- replied Raine sadly- "She's still living in her dreams. I'd warn you about her behavior, but I guess you are already prepared for it..."

Actually, no one was prepared for what happened once they got inside the house. Their presence awoke Virginia, who immediately looked at the strangers with fearful eyes.

- "Who are you? Are you here to take Raine away?! I won't allow it!"- she exclaimed as she hugged her doll tightly- "You'll have to pass over my dead body!"

- "It... it's ok, Virginia"- muttered Raine as she got closer to the elf- "They are friends. They won't harm you... or Raine"

- "Then... why are you he..."- Virginia's gaze lit up suddenly- "Kloitz?!"

- "Father?"- asked a very confused Raine.

- "Kloitz! It's you! You are back!"- exclaimed the elf as she stood up, running towards someone who didn't move once she got closer to hug him and cry over his shoulder.

And that someone was Genis.

* * *

Night had already fallen in Exire, and the air was filled with the agitation of an entire village whose life would change completely the following morning. Zelos, Sheena and Presea were already asleep in a room upstairs, while the Sage brothers watched their Mother sleep, her lips curved into a peaceful smile.

- "She really thinks that Father is with her"- muttered Raine as she strolled around the room- "And that's why she kept talking about him all these days"

Genis sighed - "I was going to tell you..."

- "But you didn't"- Raine's voice was cold. Her brother winced.

- "I didn't have the chance"- glancing at his sleeping mother, he continued- "She started acting like that just a few days before I left to Meltokio and I didn't want you to worry while I was gone... I _know_ how this situation affects you, even if you've never admitted it to me"

- "What about you?"- she asked instead- "Don't tell me you don't mind Mother thinking you are our Father..."

- "Of course I feel weird!"- he exclaimed- "But at least... she _now_ talks to me. It isn't easy to be with a Mother who doesn't even acknowledge that I _already_ exist. Besides, you've told me it's better to leave her live in her fantasies, so she wouldn't have to suffer anymore"

- "I know I've told you that... but I'm not sure if that's the right thing to do"- Raine sat down- "Just... look at her. I've dedicated all my life to the study of the Ancient Civilizations, I've tried to understand how they lived, what were their beliefs and ideologies. But no matter what I do, I still _can't_ understand her!"

- "Raine..."

- "I just can't do it!"- she exclaimed, finally releasing her frustration- "How can someone live inside her mind, unable to look at the people that _love_ her as something besides strangers? Why can't she just open her eyes for a second and see that the world is different? Why is she so weak...? I guess she doesn't even care anymore..."

- "_She does care..._"- the Sage siblings raised their gazes towards the stairs, where Presea was standing barefoot and wearing a nightshirt.

- "Presea..."

- "I apologize. I shouldn't have listened to your conversation, but I was looking for some water and... I thought you may want to listen to the other side of your argument"

- "What do you mean?"- asked Raine.

- "You said you couldn't understand your mother... but I think I do"- Presea went down the last few steps and got closer to the Professor- "For I was once like her... a doll trapped in her past"

- "But..."

- "She _does _care, Raine. She doesn't show it... but she cares about what you've been doing all these years. My memories from my past are scarce and unclear... but I still remember my father looking after me every night when I went to bed, even if he was sick. He still treated me like his daughter and not like the doll I had become. And deep in my soul I was aware of his actions... And I'll always be grateful for that..."

- "But you were like that because of the Cruxis Crystal"- replied Raine- "It wasn't your choice..."

- "How come you are so sure that your mother chose this life?"- was Presea's answer.- "Whether it was her choice or not, she needs you. And when she finally wakes up, she'll look for you... just like I did for my Daddy. And I know she'll be more lucky than me. Good night Raine..."

Presea went upstairs as silent as she had arrived. Both Genis and Raine remained quiet for a while until- "She is right"

- "Huh?"

- "Everything she said"- replied the Professor moving towards her mother- "I've always thought that she was like this because of her weakness... but maybe she didn't have another choice. And once she is ready to come back, I'll be by her side... in the world we fought so hard to achieve for her... for all of us..."

* * *

The floating city of Exire woke up the next day filled with an air of agitation and hope. Just as they had agreed, the whole town was reunited around Maxwell's monolith a few moments before sunrise.

- "They are already waiting for you, Sheena"- whispered Raine as she moved towards the sacred spot accompanied by her brother and friends. As soon as the people noticed the arrival of the Summoner from Mizuho, their excitation grew larger.

- "OK, here I go"- whispered Sheena stepping closer to the monolith as the first rays of sun illuminated the sky. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and chanted in a low voice- "_Ancient ruler of the elements, I summon thee, Maxwell_!"

In that moment a bright light expanded through all of Exire, startling a few villagers. Shouting and whispering was heard once Maxwell, the Summon Spirit of Birth appeared in front of them. Just as Sheena and her friends remembered, he looked like an old man. Be they also knew that they shouldn't be deceived by his looks, for Maxwell was one of the strongest Summon Spirits in the world.

- "Well, well, well... if it isn't Sheena!"- exclaimed Maxwell- "It's been a long time since I was last summoned by you"

- "Just as I promised, I've come here to ask thee to return this place back to lands, for the worlds of Tethe'alla and Sylvarant have been reunited and are ready to accept the people of this town, and therefore start a new age of prosperity and cooperation between all the races"

- "I see... so you've kept your vow, young Sheena"- commented Maxwell satisfied- "You still are worth keeping a pact with, so I'll do as you wish. Exire will return to the location it shouldn't have left in the first place..."

The whole town started to tremble violently, throwing a few people to the floor. Several villagers ran in panic towards their homes looking for a refuge.

- "No!"- exclaimed Zelos as he grabbed a tree for support- "We don't know what will happen to the buildings! Please, remain here!"

- "We need to trust Maxwell!"- added the Mayor- "He'd never hurt us on purpose!"

Suddenly, the process stopped along with the screaming from the villagers. Slowly, all the people stood up, wondering what have happened to the move, because they hadn't felt any movement besides the trembling.

- "What happened?"

- "Did it work?"

- "Was Maxwell able to move us back to land?"

It was a small child who gave the answer to all their questions- "Look over there! It's a gigantic pond!"

Raine looked towards the East and smiled- "No, that isn't a pond, dear. It is the ocean"

Exire was finally back in Aselia.

* * *

After a few moments of uncertainty and fear, the people of Exire had ventured into the ocean they had only known from above. Screaming and cheering, the children had played in the waves while the grown-ups had explored their surroundings, getting used to the smell of the trees and land.

But now, several hours later, these same people were celebrating a huge party. Music and fireworks were heard everywhere while the villagers danced and laughed around Exire's main square, where Maxwell's monolith was placed after the move.

- "There's still a lot of work to do"- said the Mayor as he watched his fellow villagers have fun- "But for tonight, let us enjoy the start of our new life"

- "What do you think we should do next, Mayor?"- asked Stella.

- "I think I'll be accompanying Ambassador Wilder to Meltokio and have a word with the King. He has already offered his help with the negotiations once we are there. If we are going to be part of Aselia, I guess I should put an example and start a relationship with the other towns"

- "I'd like to go to Heimdall"- said Stella smiling- "My great-grandmother was born there... and I want to see that place with my own eyes"

- "What about you, Professor Sage?"- asked the Mayor- "Are you going to stay with us?"

- "As much as I'd like that, I think it's time I returned home"- replied Raine- "I've been away from Iselia for almost eleven years and after all this wandering, I wish to return to my roots"

- "That sounds great but... what about Virginia?"

- "I don't know... I guess the best I can do is to let her stay here with her memories and visit her frequently. I haven't decided it yet... I must talk with my brother first, I don't know what are _his_ plans for the future"

- "There'll be time for that later, Raine"- said Stella- "For now, let's enjoy the party!"

The Professor smiled- "Go ahead, dear."

Raine watched as the red-haired girl joined her friends and relatives at the Main Square. _'Yes, it is time I returned home too...'_

* * *

Presea wandered around Exire, unsure of what to do next. She hardly remembered the parties that used to take place in Ozette, probably because she never took part in them. As she noticed the people dance and cheer along with the music, she decided it'd be a bit too awkward for her to join them and conformed with watching the celebration from the outside.

- "I thought you'd be with them"- she whispered suddenly, startling someone who was busy hiding behind a building.

Startled, Genis replied- "I... Wha... what are you doing here?"

- "I'm not used to this kind of celebrations, so I was strolling around instead"- she replied coldly- "What about you?"

- "Actually I... was hiding from Zelos. He said something about hooking me up with a girl and I'm not in the mood right now"- he admitted blushing.

- "I see..."

- "Presea I... wanted to thank you for the other night. You really helped Raine and..."

- "I only talked about my experience... there's no need for gratitude"

- "At any rate, thank you"

- "... you are welcome"

They remained in silence for a few moments, staring at each other. Feeling a strange force controlling his movements, Genis approached the girl and took her hands, not knowing what would happen next.

A loud noise scared away that force.

- "I... what's going on?!"- he exclaimed startled as he pointed towards a building who had suddenly started burning when they weren't watching. Presea growled and grabbed her ax with both hands.

- "Danger"- she said as she started to run towards the fire. Unclipping his kendama, Genis followed her.

* * *

When they arrived to the Main Square, the party was already over and replaced by panic and destruction. The people of Exire ran everywhere trying to escape from the ones who were attacking the city: A group of men dressed in black.

Presea hit one of them from behind, eliminating him. Unfortunately, a few of his comrades noticed that and ran towards the pink-haired axwoman, raising their weapons and ready to destroy her.

- "Victory Light Spear"- a quick movement interrupted them, giving Presea enough time to notice them and prepare her next attack.

- "Eternal Damnation!"- two of the soldiers fell down groaning. Catching her breath he looked at her savior- "Thank you Zelos"

- "Anything for my little rosebud"- said the redhead- "Where have you been? I was worried sick!"

- "Genis and I were walking outside town when we saw one of the buildings on fire"- she replied. If they were in another situation Zelos would have smirked, but now wasn't the right time for that- "What's happening?"

- "Some group of losers is attacking Exire!. Raine and Sheena are looking for all the villagers to hide them while I was looking for you... and where's Genis now that I think about it?"

- "Over here!"- screamed the half-elf, who was standing next to the burning building. Some screaming was originated from the inside- "There's people inside!"

- "I'm going in!"- announced the Ambassador putting away his sword- "You two meanwhile can do something with the fire"

- "I'm going in too"- said Presea, getting her ax ready.

- "OK, let's go!"

Once the humans had entered the building, Genis started chanting a spell.- _'I hope this works..._'- "Drown! Spread!"

A huge wave engulfed the house, putting out the fire. Sighing with relief, Genis ran towards the building but was intercepted by a huge rock that fell just a few inches away from him- "What the...?!"

- "Not so fast, vermin!"- cried a high voice that sent chills through the young mage's back. Turning around he found himself facing a tall woman dressed in gray with a hideous grin displayed on her face.

- "Who are you?!"

- "Don't talk to me like that, you little shit!"- she exclaimed angrily- "For I am a superior being unlike the garbage of your kind!"

- "What did you say?!"- Genis screamed in rage while he raised his kendama- "_Get her! Gravity Well!_"

To his surprise, the woman snapped her fingers and disappeared just as his spell was about to hit her. - "Eruption!"

Zelos threw himself over Genis, avoiding the fiery attack just in time.- "Pay more attention, Genis!"

- "That's what I'm trying to do!"

- "Pathetic little creatures!"- muttered the woman- "I warned you about the consequences of bringing this pig pen back to Aselia, but you ignored me... Now you are going to pay!"

- "That means..."- whispered Presea- "She is the leader of those thieves..."

- "Correct. I'm Lady Zumika, and my mission is to keep Aselia free from the threat that implies the existence of despicable beings like the half-elves"

- "And who gave you the right to decide who'd stay in this world or not?"- asked Zelos

- "My power, for I am the strongest sorceress in the world"- answered Zumika- "I can make the land itself obey everyone of my commands and if you don't obey me, I'll bring more destruction than you could ever imagine!"- pointing her hand towards a building she roared- "Explosion!"

- "Stop this right now!"- exclaimed Genis as he watched yet another part of Exire engulfed in flames- "Or you won't get away alive! I swear it!"

- "And what are you planning to do?"- replied Zumika sarcastically- "In case you don't remember, you don't have your precious exphere with you, making your powers infinitely inferior to mine!"

- "She has an exphere..."- whispered Presea pointing to Zumika's chest, where a huge green crystal was placed.- "But it doesn't look like anything I've seen before"

- "Well I don't care!"- said Zelos charging towards the sorceress- "Exphere or not this thing is going down!"

Genis watched Presea and Zelos run towards Zumika, who easily dodged their attacks. Compared to her fast reflexes, their movements seemed slow and clumsy, even if the two warriors were skilled in the use of their respective weapons.

- "Mass Devastation!"

- "Super Lighting Blade!"

- "There's nothing you can do to stop me!"- exclaimed Zumika as she blocked Presea's ax with her staff- "Unlike Yggdrasil, I'll start an Age Without Half-Elves. They'll be vanished from the face of Aselia!"

- "There's got to be something I can do..."- muttered Genis from his spot._- 'It's been a while since I last cast this spell... I'm not strong enough now... but the least I can do is to try!'_.

Trying to summon all the mana around him, Genis closed his eyes and prepared his next spell, one of his strongest. The noise from the battle and the screaming of the villagers made it harder since the absence of his exphere diminished his ability to concentrate.

_'Just a little more...'- _he thought as he felt a large amount of mana surrounding him. He could already imagine the circle forming at his feet.- _"I call upon they in the land of the dead to unleash thou fury of thunder..."_

The spell was ready. Genis opened his eyes- "Indig... _UFF!_"- a large boulder hit him on the stomach, making him loose his concentration and fly until he hit Maxwell's monolith.- "DAMN!"

- "Thought you could play with you little fireworks?"- asked Zumika- "How about becoming a pancake?!"

- "Hey! That is my line!"- snarled Genis as he rolled over his stomach to avoid another boulder. Luckily, a new attack from Presea distracted Zumika, and Genis stood up again to join the battle.

- "I'm tired of this..."- complained Zelos as he blocked another boulder- "There's no way I can hit this witch!"

- "I know..."- whispered the mage trying to catch his breath. His attempt to cast Indignation had drained almost all his energy- "She's pretty strong..."

- "Beast!"- cried Presea turning around with her ax, but the attack was too slow for Zumika and failed.

- "You make me so sad! You'll never stop me!"

Zelos was trying to get up again. Presea was kneeling on the ground, visibly exhausted and Genis could barely see what was going on in front of him...

... except for a pair of blue wings.

- "What's... going on...?"- he whispered surprised as he saw a tall man descend in front of them, already prepared to attack the sorceress- "K...Kratos?"

_- "Wow, this guy's strong!"- whispered a young Genis as he tried to catch his breath. In front of him, a strong warrior named Vidarr looked amused at the trio of kids who were trying to defeat him in vain. _

_- "Man! This guy is really tough!"- Vidarr got closer to them and swung his mace, but in that moment, a warrior jumped forward and blocked the blow..._

- "I guess this is what they call a Deja Vu"- whispered Genis back in the present as he tried to stand up.- "What is Kratos doing down here?!"

- "Amusing! Another vermin!"- cried Zumika as she blocked a blow from the new warrior. Genis noticed that this was the right time for a surprise attack.

Summoning as much mana as he could, Genis began chanting his final spell as he noticed everything around him becoming darker with each moment- "_Engulf this pathetic soul! Ground Dasher!"_

The last thing he heard before falling unconscious were Zumika's screams...

* * *

- "_First Aid_!"

A cool sensation brought Genis back from the darkness. Feeling a little bit stronger, he slowly opened his eyes to find Presea and Zelos looking at him with worried eyes.

- "You dumb brat! Wasting all your mana like that! I told you to not scare me like that ever again!"

- "Sh... shut up, Zelos"- whispered the mage with a small smile- "Wh... what happened to Zumika?"

- "Your spell startled her but..."- Presea looked down- "She escaped at the last moment..."

Genis sat up, suddenly remembering their fourth ally- "Wh... where's Kratos?"

- "Kratos?"- asked Zelos visibly confused.- "I think you were hit too many times on that big head of yours..."

- "Wh... What are you talking about? I saw him! He helped us!"

- _"...Is everyone alright?_"- a new deep voice startled the trio, who looked up to find a shocking surprise.

- "_Lloyd!"_

**TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

**A/N: **I thought I'd never finish this chapter! (30 pages, I must be crazy). Any comments will be greatly apreciated.

Special thanks to **Kitten-Kisses, Angel White, Isenstar and Blue-Angel-Wings** for their comments. I hope you liked this chapter (well it was a chapter and a half, since I had to finish chapter 2 too).

**Disclaimer**: I don't own ToS or it's characters. Namco does.

Thank you and see you next time! :)


	5. Aftermath

**CHAPTER 4: AFTERMATH**

_Taking a bite from his sandwich, he winced: What was his sister thinking when she decided to make a tuna and strawberry jelly sandwich? His appetite quickly disappearing, the seven-year-old put away his lunch and decided to spend the rest of the recess watching his new class-mates. _

_Some boys were busy kicking a ball through the patio while a blonde, sweet-looking girl was reading a book. Other girls were chatting near the door and finally, a brown-haired boy dressed in red ran in circles around them, holding a wooden sword on each hand. Despite being his first day at school, Genis already knew his name: Lloyd. He also knew that he was the class "dunce" and pretty bad at every subject, especially Math. The teacher had even asked him to help the older boy with some exercises earlier._

_Other than that, he hadn't spoken with any of his classmates. Why would they be interested in playing with him? Not only was he the youngest student, he was also a half... _an elf_! That's what Raine had told him that morning as she tried to serve him some burned eggs for breakfast: If they wanted to stay in Iselia for a long time, they should never let the people of this village know their true race. That's why they had to hide their ears and pretend that they were elves. _

_Sighing in boredom, Genis took out the wooden toy his sister had bought him a week earlier for his birthday. The Iselia's shopkeeper had told him that it was a kendama and that he was lucky, because the store had just gotten the new Nova model. With a quick move upwards, he made the ball pop out of the cup so he could catch it as soon as it fell down. After a few tries, Genis attention was so focused on the kendama that everything around him seemed to fade. Oddly enough, he felt a strange energy flowing around him and the toy suddenly felt warmer..._

_- "Hey!_ _Are you going to sit there all day?"- The childish voice of one of his classmates took him out of his trance. Genis looked up and found Lloyd grinning at him, his cheeks flushed from running around. _

_- "Wha...?"_

_- "I said, are you going to sit there all day?"- _But the voice that emerged from the boy's lips was deeper and suddenly the school's patio was replaced with the burned remains of Exire's main square. Instead of his classmates, Zelos and Presea were next to him, their faces indicating that they had already greeted the warrior standing in front of him with an amused face. His right arm was stretched out and waiting for his best friend's response.

- "Maybe. It is quite comfortable down here..."- replied the wizard as he took Lloyd's hand and stood up.

Lloyd was a lot taller than Genis remembered, even if the height difference between them wasn't as wide as it used to be. Still dressed in red, his face and eyes were the exact shape as Kratos', while his brown hair looked a bit more groomed than before. In general, Lloyd looked different... more... Genis couldn't find the right word to describe him...

- "What are you looking at?"- asked Lloyd, suddenly flashing his infamous childish grin. Genis laughed.

- "It's just that for a moment you looked... _mature_."- Replied the half-elf with a mischievous smile- "But I guess Zelos was right for a change and I was just hit too many times on the head"

- "Shut it, Genis!"- buffed Lloyd. Suddenly touched by the familiarity of the scene, Genis approached the swordsman and hugged him.

- "Man! H-How much I missed this... you"- said the young wizard a few seconds later, releasing Lloyd and feeling his cheeks flushed from embarrassment.- "I... I'm sorry... It's just that I..."

- "Don't worry, Genis"- said Lloyd with a warm smile- "I've missed you too..."

* * *

- "I think this is the last one!"- Exclaimed Sheena as she carried a small child in her arms.- "Let's get out of here!"

Raine nodded as she finished healing the child's mother- "All right. Ofelia, you'll have to lean on me, are you ready?"

- "I guess..."- replied the woman as she tried to stand up and winced- "My foot! it hurts..."

- "The spell I cast on you will allow you to walk, but you'll have to endure the pain for a while."- Commented the healer coldly- "I'm sorry... but that's the best I can do for now..."

- "Raine! _Hurry_!"

- "It's Sheena... the corridor must be clear... let's hurry!"

Raine and Ofelia moved slowly until they left the room. Thick smoke invaded the corridor, making it hard for both women to see... or breathe. Raine took out a handkerchief and pressed it over Ofelia's lips.

- "This... will... help..."- she panted between coughs. Trying to remember the exit, Raine moved blindly across the corridor, pulling her collar up to avoid smoke getting into her lungs.

- "Watch out!"- Raine barely heard the warning as a part of the ceiling collapsed in front of her, fiery sparks flying everywhere.

- "We need to find another exit quickly!"- whispered the healer as she covered her eyes from the sparks, forcing her to breathe some smoke. Coughing violently, she turned around and touched the walls, trying to find a hole or window that would let them escape.

A ray of light in front of them stopped their search: Someone had made a hole through the roof and was descending through it. Blinded by the smoke, Raine barely saw a flash of pink that approached her and took her arm tightly.

The last thing the Professor remembered before loosing her battle against unconsciousness was the feeling of leaving the ground...

* * *

- "Raine? Raine!"- A loud voice and some shaking made her leave the darkness. The bright sunrays let her know that she had been unconscious for several minutes and a forced breathe of fresh air announced that she was free from the burning building. As she tried to focus her vision, she could only perceive a pair of gentle blue eyes reflecting relief.

- "Wh... what happened...?"- She whispered.

- "You inhaled too much smoke and passed out"- replied her companion with a sweet voice- "Don't worry; the woman you were helping is alright too. Sheena took her to a safe place, so she would reunite with her daughter."

Feeling a headache starting, Raine pressed her hands over her temples and sighed. She could still feel her whole body shaking with fear, shock and above all... _anger_. Why did this tragedy have to happen? Why had the people from Exire suffer this just a few hours after they had returned to Aselia? This should have been a night of joy... not of nightmare.

- "Are you alright?"- asked the voice interrupting her train of thought.

Sighing again, Raine looked up and lost her breath: Those gentle blue eyes were actually framed by the face of a beautiful woman with long, blonde hair and wearing a white dress. As she tried to sit up, Raine noticed a pair of pink, shiny wings- _Blinded by the smoke, Raine barely saw a flash of pink that approached her and took her arm tightly -_ "Colette!"

- "I'm sorry we had to meet in these circumstances, Professor Sage"- answered the angel with a shy smile.

- "Don't apologize"- said Raine as she took her former student's hands- "If it wasn't for you... I'd had perished on that fire. Thank you..."

- "It was nothing compared to all the times you helped me back then..."- Colette then hugged Raine tightly- "I'm so happy to see you! When we saw the fire at the distance, I was afraid you'd be hurt..."

- "Hurt... Genis!"- exclaimed Raine as she released the angel and clumsily stood up- "Wh... where is my brother?"

- "Relax, Raine"- said Sheena as she appeared through some bushes- "He's fine... actually, he's coming this way right now"

Raine moved towards the bushes and, just as Sheena had said, she spotted her brother walking towards them. He looked tired, and two cuts crossed his cheeks. She also saw Presea limping on her left leg with the help of a very dirty Zelos (believe it or not). The half-elven Professor lost her breath, though, when she saw the last member of the returning party- "Is that...?"

- "Lloyd!"- exclaimed Colette as she ran towards the man she had spent every day of the last ten years with, embracing him tightly.- "I'm glad you are safe!"

- "Of course I am!"- he grinned, returning the gesture- "It'll take more than a couple of thieves and a witch to defeat me... especially if I fight along our friends"

Colette moved towards her old companions- "Zelos! Presea!"- She squealed as she hugged them tightly. Then, as she looked towards her half-elven friend, her eyes widened- "Goddess! Genis! You've become so big and cute!"

- "Trust Colette to be kind enough to not admit the truth"- Snickered Zelos, earning a glare from the blushing young mage.

- "Shut up, Zelos!"

Lloyd was laughing at his friends' bickering when he saw a dark haired girl emerge from the bushes- "Hey, Sheena!"- he called out as he aproached her.

- "Lloyd!"- Exclaimed the ninja hugging her old friend- "I can't believe you are here! How did you...?"

- "Well... our contact from Mizuho told us that Exire was returning to Aselia, so we decided to drop by and surprise you..."- his eyes darkened- "...but I guess that in the end _we_ were the surprised ones..."

- "I know..."- she whispered with a sad smile.- "I'm afraid that this will affect Genis and Raine the most..."

- "Speaking of her, where is the Professor?"

- "Raine?"- Sheena turned around, but only found the bushes in front of her- "B-But... she was here just a second ago... where...?"

A pained scream answered her question.

* * *

_"This is it! They've finally found us!"_- trembling with fear, she ran towards the door hoping she would escape in time. After all these months of happiness, somebody had informed _them_ about their current location. They _knew_ she was hiding there, so they had started a fire to force her to leave the house and get caught.

_"I can't use the door! But where...?"- _Virginia tried to remember where the windows were. She hoped she would be able to escape through one of them and run as far as she could towards the woods. Kloitz had told her once that in case they got separated, they would meet there after the danger had passed.

A loud noise interrupted her train of thought: Looking up, she noticed that part of the roof, severely damaged by the fire, was starting to collapse. Before she could turn away, dust and debris fell over her eyes. Screaming with pain, the elven mother raised her arms to protect her face, dropping her _"daughter"_ at the same time.

- "No! Raine!"- Virginia dropped on her knees and looked for her doll, but without her sight, she could only depend on her trembling hands feeling the floor.

- "Virginia!"- a familiar young girl's voice called her from the other side of the room- "We must get out of here! The house will fall down soon!"

- "No!"- screamed Virginia as she continued her desperate search- "My baby! I can't leave without her!"

- "Raine is safe!"- said that voice getting closer and soon enough Virginia felt a hand grabbing her arm with force- "She is outside with Genis and their friends! Come on!"

- "She can't be safe! She's just a little girl! And I dropped her! I failed her again!"

- "Come on!"- the voice sounded terrified- "Come on, Virginia!"

Blind and tired, Virginia couldn't fight against the voice much longer. Sobbing with fear, the elven mother was dragged across the room until she could finally breathe something besides smoke. Falling on her knees, she screamed- "My daughter! Kloitz, I abandoned our daughter! I won't be able to forgive myself! I did it again!"

The voice next to her sighed- "Calm down, Virginia... I-I'll look for her..."

Raising her hand, Virginia grabbed her savior's arm and pleaded- "Please! I beg of you! Save my child!"

- "Alright..."- said the voice standing up- "I'll go..."

Virginia sat there for a couple of minutes... that somehow felt like hours for the terrified elf. She couldn't see anything at all and she felt tired and weak from all the smoke she had inhaled. - _'Why they won't they leave us alone? Why can't I protect my children?'_

Suddenly, she heard a pained scream coming from inside, accompanied by the loud noise of the building finally falling down. Following her instincts, Virginia threw herself to the floor and covered her head. - "Raine! RAINE!"- She mumbled as she feared the worst.

- "It's OK..."- another familiar voice, who was also female but sounded older than the last one, whispered- "Virginia..."

- "No! My child! My daughter! She's inside! What happened?"

- "Th-the house has just collapsed. B-but don't worry... your daughter is safe"

Sitting up, Virginia asked- "Do you mean that she did it? Was she able to save my daughter?"

- "What! What are you talking a... No!"- The voice gasped and stood up, running towards the house's ruins. Rubbing her eyes, Virginia was finally able to perceive something: Just as she imagined, she found that silver-haired woman who had been visiting her everyday for a couple of weeks, kneeling in the middle of the ruins and holding what looked like the burned corpse of a young girl.

A girl with bright red hair...

* * *

- "May you rest in peace, Stella"- whispered Exire's mayor as he placed a flower over the tattered box that contained the remains of the half-elven girl.

- "You were such a sweet girl..."- sobbed Stella's grandmother- "It is not fair that you left this world before me... and in the hands of those... barbarians"

Genis winced at her comment: He hadn't spoken a single word since Raine had informed him about Stella's death. He felt that everything that had happened was his fault. After all, Exire and its residents would still be safe if he hadn't brought Sheena to return it back to Aselia.

- "She always wished to live near the "_big pond_" below her"- added Stella's mother- "So it is our wish that her resting place would be beneath the waves of the Great Sea"

- "And so it will be"- finished the Mayor, as he carried the box with the help of some men towards a small boat -actually, it was the group's old Elemental Cargo from ten years ago- that was waiting for them in the shore.

Cries and sobs were heard as the men pushed the boat into the water. With the help of Undine, Sheena made the waves carry the remains of Stella far away. Genis blinked a few tears when he felt Raine's hand over his shoulder.

- "It is time..."- she whispered. The young wizard nodded as he unclipped his kendama.

- "Fireball!"- he screamed as he directed the fire attack towards Stella's box. Soon, it was engulfed with flames.

_Good bye Stella... _

_Please forgive me..._

* * *

Besides Stella's tragedy, there were no more people to mourn in Exire. Although many houses and buildings were practically destroyed, the people were glad to have survived such a brutal attack... but were also terrified by the possibility of Zumika's return.

- "We have to do something"- said Lloyd as he walked around Maxwell's monolith. - "We've got to stop Zumika at all costs!"

- "It won't be easy"- added Presea softly- "She had an exphere on her chest..."

- "B-but... we destroyed all of them!"- Exclaimed Colette- "We spent almost seven years searching for them!"

- "That wasn't a regular exphere, anyway"- added Zelos- "At least... it didn't look like a regular exphere... not even like a Cruxis Crystal".

- "We'll have time to figure that out later"- said Raine coldly- "Right now, our priority should be the people of Exire."

- "Right"- said Zelos- "I'm going back to Meltokio tomorrow morning and will discuss with His Majesty about this situation. It's vital to have this city protected at all times and the Royal Guards can help us with that task"

- "I'm going with you"- added Sheena- "I'm still the Emissary of Peace. I can't return to Mizuho until I make sure that Exire will be safe" 

- "I'll look for Regal at Altamira "- commented Presea- "We'll help with the reconstruction of this city... just like we did ten years ago in all the places affected by Cruxis."

- "Good. And what about you, Professor?"

- "I..."- Raine glanced towards her crying mother, who was sitting between the burned remains of her house, looking desperately for her doll.- "I don't know..."

- "You should return to Iselia with us."- said Colette, but Raine shook her head. 

- "But... the people of this town..."

- "We are going to be just fine, Raine."- said the Mayor as he placed a hand over her shoulder- "You told us that moving back here wouldn't be easy. We were aware that there'd still be people here who wouldn't accept us right away..."

- "But they are fewer, thanks to all the journeys your brother and you have been doing all these years."- Added the woman who Raine had saved earlier. - "And let's not forget that we are not alone anymore: The Chosen and his friends are by our side."

- "Errr... I don't use that title anymore."- Corrected Zelos- "But you are right, my sweet lady."

- "And that counts for you two too."- said Sheena- "And Colette's right, you should return to Iselia. It'll be the best for your mother... and for Genis too."

Raine looked at her brother, who was still standing next to the seashore. 

- "All right"- she sighed- "Let's return to Iselia."

**To be Continued. **


End file.
